10 comments:

Father, as someone who is pro-life across the board, I can certainly see your point (and the bishops' conference point) on this issue. However, I would like to offer just a bit of context (a quote from Governor Quinn that Rich Miller included on his Capitol Fax blog today). Here's what the governor said when asked about the bishops' statement:

“I am going to the event to present an award to a woman who was a victim of rape and who is a very strong advocate of helping rape victims all over our state [and] our country,” Quinn said after an appearance in Chicago to announce state funding to overhaul the CTA’s Red Line. “I really feel that’s a proper, Christian thing to do to honor someone who’s doing someone that helps the community at large.”

Maybe there's a lot more to the particular award the governor is presenting, details about which I am unaware. (I do realize that Personal PAC is a strong advocate on behalf of legalized abortion.) However, if this IS in fact the crux of the focus in the governor's award-presenting -- is that act in itself so bad?

Again, I could be missing something big. But certainly the church does advocate on behalf of rape survivors and those survivors' efforts to reduce the incidence of rape.

Yes, you are missing something big, Steve: the very reason for the Personal PAC award.

Personal PAC is, as it says on its web site, "dedicated to electing pro-choice candidates to state and local office in Illinois."

Personal PAC will give awards to Meredith Bater, "an outspoken advocate for women's equality, including reproductive rights;" Pam Sutherland, a member of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund; and Jeannie Goodman, who has a "passion for reproductive rights."

At question is not her experience of sexual assault, Goodwin's misdirected passion, together with Baxter's and Sutherland's misdirected passion.

During last year's election, Personal PAC's attack ads against GOP candidate Bill Brady (also Catholic but very pro-life) are believed (by some pundits) to have tipped the election in Quinn's favor despite his low approval ratings and poor polling. The ads aired heavily on TV and radio in the Chicago area and are believed to have motivated liberal, pro-abortion suburbanite women (and men) to vote against Brady in sufficient numbers to insure his defeat.

I believe Jennie Goodman, one of the women being honored, appeared in one of these attack ads.

Sounds to me like a case of payback to a group that helped Quinn get elected.

You are right that she appeared in these ads, but quite wrong to assert purely political motives to the Bishops.

Some things really are about morals and public faith.

Quinn, who repeatedly touts his Catholic faith, is in clear violation of the Catholic faith. When a Catholic of such public status in a very public way acts contrary to that faith in the name of "conscience", the bishops must speak.

Sorry if I didn't make myself clear... I wasn't referring to the bishops' action. I meant to say that Quinn's appearance at the Personal PAC event is HIS payback (in the sense of acknowledging or returning a favor) to a group that helped him get elected.

Quinn is merely a clown. He is controlled by Terry Cosgrove and the other PACs.

The Cardinal for his part walked right into a a PR buzz-saw again and managed to drag the Catholic Conference in as a well. The Cardinal has about as much street smarts, as Pat Quinn, but unlike Quinn is not surrounded by people who can manage and even control the narrative - like Cosgrove.